“…don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through… Instead, be very glad-for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. “

During the Great Recession companies began to revert back to using probationary periods or hiring someone on as a temporary before bringing them on full-time. These “temp to perm” or trial periods were ways to provide a time of trial before making the commitment to hire. This practice is not a new one as many a company had done it in the past but once the talent market heats up it is hard to ask the best of the best to leave one job to go to another with a period of uncertainty before a commitment. I suspect that with the hiring market beginning to recover we will see less and less of the formal probation happening but certainly it is there informally, and that never goes away. Anyone who starts a new job will serve under watchful eyes and will be put to the test to see if the right hiring decision has been made. When asked on how to best manage during this time I always tell new hires the exact same things; Establish clear expectations from your boss for the first six months; work harder than the other guy; and build as many deep and close relationships as possible. If you know what is expected of you, you can meet or exceed those expectations. If you work hard and put in the extra effort then that can carry you far. If you have strong relationships with others and get to know them and them you, then when you stumble (which you will) they will be there for you and will also want to give you a second chance. It’s always smart to go into any new situation with the attitude that you still have some proving to do. That way your attitude doesn’t turn into taking it for granted or worse, putting on an air of complacency or entitlement.

Work and life is a set of trials. We get stronger through these trial and they force us to rely on the One who is stronger than us and who has gone through more of for us than we could ever give back to Him. How we handle our trials and out challenges can be a clear signal to others that we have something inside of us that they desire and need. If we can handle our trials and our tribulations in such a way that they can see God in us, then we are likely going to get our chance to tell His story to them. God doesn’t put us on probation with Him. It is the one part of our lives where the love and protecting arms of the Lord are never taken away. If we believe, remember and count on this then there isn’t any trial or any testing that He won’t give us the power and grace to handle.

Reference: 1 Peter 4:12-13 (New Living Testament)